Chatter
by imaginationpysche
Summary: Songpaw has a gift. She can hear voices inside her head. Her sister, Featherpaw, is forever in the spotlight, but when Songpaw gets badly injured saving her, the attention turns to her. Visitors arrive in RiverClan, and Songpaw doesn't trust them. At first. Who are these strange cats and what is their purpose? And how do her voices tie into it?
1. Chapter 1

**HEY! Welcome to my new story, my first published. It was hard enough to come up with warriors for RiverClan, so I only did the major players in the other clans. Try to read the Allegiances, please, you'll need the pelt and eye color to identify cats later.**

 **Okie, enjoy!**

Allegiances

 **RIVERCLAN**

 _ **Leader:**_ Sagestar- _light gray tabby she-cat with green eyes_

 _ **Deputy:**_ Minnowstrike- _black tom with a white ear and amber eyes_

 _ **Medicine Cat:**_ Lavenderspots- _cream and dark gray spotted she-cat with golden eyes_ **Apprentice:** Nutdapple

 _ **Warriors:**_

Rushfoot- _dark ginger tom with white paws and green eyes_

Quailflight- _brown and white tabby she-cat with ice blue eyes_

Copperfin- _bluish gray she-cat with a white patch on her chest and amber eyes_ **Apprentice:** Featherpaw

Reedclaw- _gray tom with black flecks, white paws, and blue eyes_

Trouttail- _ginger tom with white paws and light green eyes_

Wrenmist- _tortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes_ **Apprentice:** Shellpaw

Sharpeyes- _shrewd golden tabby tom with piercing ice blue eyes_

Shadyear- _white tom with a black ear and blue eyes_

Twigslash- _black and white dappled she-cat with green eyes_

Vineclaw- _creamy furred tom with black eyes_ **Apprentice:** Songpaw

Sparrowbrook- _brown and silver spotted she-cat with gray eyes_

Oaksplash- _dark brown tom with white paws and green eyes_

Sneezeclaw- _light gray and white patched tom with amber eyes_

Waterthistle- _smoky gray tabby tom with green eyes_

 _ **Apprentices:**_

Nutdapple- _cream tom with brown spots and green eyes_

Shellpaw- _white tom with gray tabby splotches and amber eyes_

Featherpaw- _white she-cat with silver swirls and icy blue eyes_

Songpaw- _dark gray she-cat with a black spot and amber eyes_

 _ **Queens:**_

Swallowstem- _dark gray she-cat with black stripes and blue eyes,_ mother to Trouttail's kits, Leafkit- _ginger tabby tom with white paws and blue eyes,_ Turtlekit- _dark gray she-cat with light green eyes,_ Mistlekit- _light brown she-cat with amber eyes,_ and Stonekit- _light gray tom with amber eyes_

Sootleap- _black she-cat with gray legs and amber eyes,_ mother to Minnowstrike's kits, Shimmerkit- silver and white she-cat _with blue eyes,_ Starlingkit- _brown tom with white belly, chest, paws, and muzzle with gray eyes,_ and Dapplekit- _black tom with white streaks, gray spots, and blue eyes_

Bubblespeck- _white she-cat with green eyes,_ expecting an unknown tom's kits

 _ **Elders:**_

Poppymoon- _golden she-cat with white stripes and blue eyes_

Storkslash- _ginger tom with redder spots and gray eyes_

 **THUNDERCLAN**

 _ **Leader:**_ Talonstar- _golden brown tom with white paws and amber eyes_

 _ **Deputy:**_ Nightclaw- _tortoiseshell she-cat with gray eyes_

 _ **Medicine Cat:**_ Smalldawn- _golden and white tom with blue eyes_

 **SHADOWCLAN**

 _ **Leader:**_ Thrushstar- _dark gray and brown she-cat with green eyes_

 _ **Deputy:**_ Cedarsky- _light brown and ginger spotted tom with amber eyes_ _ **Apprentice:**_ Snookpaw- _gray and white tom with blue eyes_

 _ **Medicine Cat:**_ Tansywish- _small golden she-cat with green eyes_ _ **Apprentice:**_ Snowpaw _ **(**_ _white and gray she-cat with blue eyes)_

 **WINDCLAN**

 _ **Leader:**_ Runningstar- _light brownish gray tabby tom with amber eyes_

 _ **Deputy:**_ Plumbreeze- _bluish gray she-cat with amber eyes_

 _ **Medicine Cat:**_ Thistlehawk- _gray and reddish brown tom with green eyes_ _ **Apprentice:**_ Rabbitpool _ **(**_ _light gray she-cat with a white tail and green eyes_ _ **)**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Before I start the chapter, I want to tell you a few things:**

 **The bold &italics are the voices inside of her head, and the plain italics are her own thoughts. **

**If anything in here you think I stole from you or another author, I assure I did not, but if you still think so tell me the story so I can read it and make sure I do not follow that storyline.**

 **I DO NOT OWN WARRIORS!**

 **CHAPTER ONE**

"UGH. Will it _ever_ stop raining?" Shellpaw groaned, flopping dramatically onto his sheep's wool nest, pretending to drown. He was an older apprentice, but had the energy and spirit of a kit.

 _ **Young 'paws never used to behave that way when I was an apprentice,**_ one of ceaseless voices inside of her head grumbled, **and** _ **they actually groomed.**_

 _ **Quite right,**_ another voice sniffed indignantly.

Songpaw rolled her eyes and stared out into the shower, watching the steady stream of droplets rolling off the reed roof of the apprentice's den. The rest of the camp was almost completely hidden by the curtain of water, but even from there, she could see the empty prey pile. It had been raining since sun high the day before, and with few cats braving the rain, almost no prey had been brought in. As if on cue, her belly grumbled. It had been a harsh leaf-bare, and newleaf was only just starting. Songpaw's fur clung to her bones, and her ribs showed through.

 _ **Poor Sagestar. She doesn't know how to feed her Clan in the rain, despite being RiverClan.**_

 _ **I wish Quailflight had agreed for the post of deputy before Tanglestar died. Then RiverClan would be respected and powerful, with ShadowClan warriors cowering when they saw apprentices. But no, it has to be Sagewhisper who takes the post of deputy only a greenleaf after getting an apprentice.**_

 _ **Sagestar is a good cat! She should just get a little more courage.**_

 _ **Are you kidding me? Minnowstrike is leading the Clan from behind the scenes, and he**_ **just** _ **finished with his apprentice!**_

Songpaw flicked her tail in annoyance and concentrated on blocking out the voices, although they had given her an idea. The dark gray she-cat turned around to see Shellpaw being tickled with a piece of reed from Featherpaw. Ignoring this, she meowed loudly, "If we're RiverClan, shouldn't we be enjoying ourselves out there?"

Featherpaw rolled her eyes and looked at Songpaw, scrutinizing her with icy blue orbs. "Because, fish-brain, tonight's the Gathering, I was to look my best for it. It is _your_ first one, you know." She slapped Shellpaw with her tail and smiled at Songpaw. "And, you never can tell, but a certain ShadowClan tom might break the code to talk to you."

"Hey!" Shellpaw meowed at the same time as Songpaw spat, "Gross!" Featherpaw stretched luxuriously and yawned. "If there _is_ a Gathering. All this rain will make the tree slippery. Now, I'm going to take a nap until it's time to go." With that, the white and silver she-cat curled up and tucked her nose under her silky tail.

 _Of course she would know. I had a bad cold last Gathering, and she got to go all by herself and make friends,_ Songpaw thought savagely. _I wish she wasn't coming this time. She doesn't deserve it._ Realizing that kind of thinking was for mouse-hearts, Songpaw banished the nasty thoughts from her mind and chided herself for thinking poorly of her sister. Featherclaw couldn't help it that she had a rather mean sense of humor or glamorous pelt..

 _ **Oh but yes she can.**_

 _Shut up!_ Songpaw thought fiercely, _Shut up shut up shut up shut up._ The voices shut up.

The downpour was ceasing slightly when Copperfin and Vineclaw came to get them. Featherpaw was grooming, Shellpaw was sleeping, and Songpaw was laying in her nest, wishing she could eat the moss and sheep's wool beneath her. The mentors glanced at Shellpaw and exchanged a look that said more than exasperation.

 _ **Like I said earlier! Apprentices should be ready to go all the time. This foolish tom missed out on a chance to get to know his enemies.**_

 _ **He had been hunting!**_

 _ **He probably ate something while doing it!**_

Songpaw could just imagine the most recent speaker's tail flicking dismissively.

"Let's go," Copperfin whispered, flicking her tail at Shellpaw, "Try not to wake him. And Songpaw, don't complain about the rain. It's extremely annoying and un-apprentice like."

Songpaw's cheeks burned at the unfair accusation and her claws slid out. It had been Featherpaw yesterday, not her!

However, she swallowed down her anger and followed out her mentors and sister into the sodden clearing. Minnowstrike was standing, fur dripping, in a cluster of cats waiting to go to the Gathering. He grinned when Copperfin, Vineclaw, and the sisters approached.

None of the voices missed a beat.

 _ **Ooh, that cat's a powerful player! Shame he settled down so early, he would have made a good match for Copperfin or Sparrowbrook, even.**_

 _ **I think he and Sootleap are a good match, maybe we shouldn't judge them too harshly.**_

Disdain entered one of the voice's mew. _**Sootleap couldn't tell a rock from a kit; she even named one after a**_ **stone** _._

 _ **This is her first litter. She's done good so far.**_

"If it keeps raining like this, we'll have to swim to the island!" The deputy was a good natured tom, open to ideas from anyone, from the oldest elder to the tiniest kit. He appeared perfect, but Songpaw knew that everyone had a flaw.

 _ **Are you sure?**_

 _ **He's perfect, just like your sister.**_

Featherpaw bounded forward to go talk to Sparrowbrook, a warrior that was young enough to still be fun to talk to, but old enough that she had a bigger head from time to time. Even when she was 99.9% modest, Songpaw _still_ couldn't stand her, so she padded over to Vineclaw and stuck to his side while he talked about cats she didn't know and things she hadn't experienced.

 _ **You should listen more or socialize more frequently.**_

 _I haven't even gone to a Gathering!_

After everyone was thoroughly soaked, Sagestar brushed through the lichen that covered her den entrance. The RiverClan leader's gray tabby fur was neatly groomed, and Sagestar had obviously spent extra time on her ears, which usually had tufts of fur sticking up.

 _ **EXACTLY! This right here is proof she is a mouse-brained leader. To make things worse, she's starving**_ **and** _**soaking her Clan to the skin. Now RiverClan will be late and they are the closest Clan to the island!**_

 _ **Sagestar is a fool.**_

 _ **She just needs to get her priorities in order.**_

 _ **Something she should have done as a**_ **warrior.**

 _If she doesn't want to get wet, she's out of luck,_ Songpaw thought drily, rolling her eyes inwardly. Her fur was wet down to the skin, and she shivered. Hopefully the Gathering wouldn't take long.

Sagestar waved her tail at her Clan and they followed her out of camp, muttering among themselves about the rain. Vineclaw nudged Songpaw. "What's up?" He asked, twitching a creamy ear, "Nervous about the Gathering?"

 _ **Of course, Vineclaw! All apprentices are!**_

Songpaw looked up into her mentor's glassy, black eyes. "I don't know. It just seems weird that we'd even have a Gathering in this weather. And, well, an assessment is coming up so…"

Vineclaw chuckled like an elder and jumped over a stream, Songpaw followed his lead. "I used to hate rain," he admitted, "I wouldn't go out in it all through kithood and apprenticeship. When I became a warrior, I was hunting land-prey and it started to rain. I sheltered by a tree, but the wind picked up and I had to make a run for it to camp-"

 _ **Foolish warrior.**_

"- and the assessment is nothing to worry about! It only tells us what we need to work on, what you've been learning, and if you're going to be a satisfactory warrior." He licked Songpaw's ear in a fatherly way.

With Swallowstem was on her third batch of kits, and Trouttail was only focused on Featherpaw and Poppymoon, his mother, neither had time to talk with Songpaw or even lick her ears. She knew they were busy, but her mentor noticed and tried to teach her with a more father-like manner.

 _ **They don't know what they're missing, Swallowstem and Trouttail. Should pay attention to this one and treat her while she still has kit fur around her ears.**_

 _ **Indeed.**_

Songpaw forced the voices to pipe down, but they seemed content to lay back and enjoy the ride anyway. Over the marsh RiverClan ran, dodging the occasional willow tree or swerving around a new puddle.

Finally, they arrived at the island. It was a surprisingly normal looking land feature, surrounded by rough waters glittering in the almost non existent moonlight. Different, layered scents came from all directions, but soon bottle-necked to a round tree that lay on its side. The tree in particular had been knocked over a long time ago, roots fanning up at the end, some cut from their fellows and fewer still in the soil. Sagestar climbed delicately between the thick tentacles that guarded the entrance. Minnowstrike followed her swiftly and soon almost everyone was across, Featherpaw included, having done a smug little leap as she bounded off the top end on the island. Vineclaw, who was waiting for her to cross first, wrinkled his nose.

"Shadowclan," he spat, taking a gulp of water from a nearby puddle, "They smell like fox-dung."

 _ **Right you are, biased young cat! I became great friends with a Shadowclanner, even trusted her with my life.**_

 _ **Shadowclan is dangerous and not to be trusted, little one.**_

Songpaw realized with a shock that the last mew had been addressed to her. The voices rarely spoke directly to her, obviously intending, or not, for her to get the message while they bickered with each other.

Vineclaw nudged her onto the tree, accidentally shoving her into a root. The length of the tree looked very immense. Songpaw shivered as she peeked over the side into the roiling, midnight blue water.

"Come on," her creamy mentor meowed, impatient.

 _ **Don't rush her, fool.**_

 _ **Vineclaw doesn't want to be late! In fact, she**_ **should** _ **get going!**_

"Fine!" Songpaw started running across the log, digging her claws in at every step. Halfway across, her paw slipped on the rain slick trunk and her leg went over the side, scraping the bark. The she-cat squealed as she started to slip over the edge, down, down, into the water.

But the splash never happened. Songpaw opened her eyes, although she couldn't remember closing them, and looked to see her right front paw gripping a knot in the bark. Already a claw was starting to break, blood staining the wood.

 _ **Put your other paw on that little branch stub and pull yourself up. Use your back legs to grip the underside once you get far enough.**_

 _ **Don't fall.**_

"Obviously!" She growled, doing as the first voice instructed. Slowly, working her claws free and sticking them into the bark, she hauled her body onto the log and laid there, breathing heavily.

 _Where was Vineclaw?_

It was foggy and the rain was still coming down in little silver bullets, so Songpaw concluded he had crossed while she was still hanging without noticing her paw. The rest of the journey across the log was taken slow, the apprentice leaping gratefully onto the muddy ground of the island, outside a ring of ferns. She passed through them to see a clearing full of cats.

Every pelt pattern, color, size, shape, smell was present. She couldn't see her clanmates, so Songpaw skulked at the edge of the grounds, fur dripping into a little puddle by her paws.

 _ **Tut tut. Should clean your pelt, apprentice.**_

 _ **She almost fell in a few heartbeats ago!**_

 _ **Shh! Talonstar is speaking. He used to be a delightful young warrior until he became deputy.**_

A golden brown tom was just visible, his mew risen to let everyone hear. "ThunderClan has been fortunate this past moon. Thornpaw has become Thornlight and Seedmask has moved into the nursery expecting my kits."

 _ **He has a mate? I didn't know that he could curb his ambition for anyone, much less**_ **Seedmask** _ **!**_

 _ **She's feisty. I never thought she'd settle down.**_

 _ **Maybe if she were in RiverClan, Minnowstrike and her would hit it off, but no, she's on the other side of the lake.**_

 _ **Shut up!**_

"Thornlight! Thornlight! Thornlight!" Cats chanted, congratulating the new warrior. Songpaw, trying to dry herself off with her tongue, just got a drink.

Another cat stepped forward, looking like he had swallowed crow food. This leader was lithe and small, but muscles were just visible in the rain. "WindClan has been favored with prey these past moons, and Sweetheart has blessed us with a new litter of kits. We also welcome two new apprentices, Applepaw and Hawkpaw." He sat down again and curled his soaked tail around his muddy paws.

"Applepaw! Hawkpaw! Applepaw! Hawkpaw!"

 _ **Good for WindClan, but I wouldn't exactly call it a blessing.**_

 _ **Kits are a gift, don't you deny it!**_

 _ **Sleep is a gift, don't you like it!**_

Sagestar stepped forward, looking rather like a sodden rat through the haze of droplets. "RiverClan-" she began.

A fight had broken out among the apprentices. Songpaw edged closer to see what the commotion was about and rolled her eyes when she saw Featherpaw standing nearby, looking embarrassed. The fight was because of her, Songpaw realized, finding Shellpaw's fur color in the tussle. A brown tabby was his opponent, and if she had to guess, they were fighting because Featherpaw had talked to the brown tabby, who flirted with her, and Shellpaw, sweet Shellpaw, who had a colossal crush on Featherpaw, stepped in and started to fight with the other cat.

Soon all the cats around them were fighting, and some ThunderClan warrior came at Songpaw. She shrank into a ball, scared out of her mind. Out of slitted eyes, she saw a tortoiseshell pelt barrel into the warrior, landing in the mud and clawing at the other cat, who swung at her head. Wrenmist snarled and cuffed the other warrior on the ear and took a scratch to the side.

 _ **In my day, apprentices behaved themselves and the thought of fighting at a Gathering was enough to make apprentices cower with shame.**_

 _ **Even the warriors are fighting.**_

 _Sorry guys, but you're not really helping right now._

 _ **Go back to camp right now, little one.**_

 _ **GO!**_

Songpaw turned and ran out of the fern circle, straight into the pelt of a much bigger cat. She looked up and saw a tom with gleaming blue eyes framed by a pelt that looked like the moon had plastered itself onto. A pang shot through her as those calm eyes swept downward and fixed themselves onto her.

"Uh, sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"It's okay. I was distracted. I should have seen you hurtling toward me." The tom chuckled, and Songpaw realized he was from ShadowClan.

 _ **She should just run home.**_

 _ **No! A true clanmate stays to help.**_

 _ **How would you know?**_

Songpaw winced and slid past the tom.

"I'm Lynxpaw, by the way," he called after her.

"Songpaw."

 **Well, first chapter of Chatter done! If you really liked it, please review. It would mean so much to me.**

 **Birchfeather**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you for the reviews and favorites!**

 **Raphaelfangirl4real: Thank you! I will try to update as frequently as I can:)**

 **BooksRCoolYeah: Mine too! I love writing about them!**

 **Writer's Mayhem: Thank you for the support!**

 **I hope this chapter is interesting. I had trouble making sure it had enough content. Enjoy!**

 **CHAPTER TWO**

"GET UP FISH-FACE!" Featherpaw's voice cut into Songpaw's dream and startled her in wakefulness. The apprentice rolled over and moaned, only to be hit in the side by a moss ball.

"Noooo," she groaned, dragging herself half out of her nest only to flop her chin onto the reed floor of the den, "Why do we have to wake up so early?"

 _ **Why, when I was alive, you woke up at dawn, everyday.**_

 _ **She was tired from the Gathering!**_

 _ **That was seven sunrises ago!**_

 _ **It's that Featherpaw's fault. She started it with the tabby and Shellpaw. Silly she-cat.**_

She could see Featherpaw rolling her eyes through a haze of sleep. "Training, duh! Now come on or we'll have to clean the elder's den and Storkslash is in a real bad mood this morning. Like, really, really bad."

 _ **Insulting the elders!**_

 _ **Unacceptable!**_

 _ **Someone should claw her into shape!**_

Songpaw yawned and began to groom her pelt into a half decent state before slouching out of the apprentice's den.

The sun was bright and shining cheerfully out in the clearing. It hurt Songpaw's eyes, and she wished for the darkness of the den.

 _ **You could have gotten in more training if you had woken up earlier!**_

 _ **What a silly apprentice.**_

 _I had moon-high patrol last night!_

 _ **No one cares!**_

 _I do!_

"Dapplekit! Don't do that!" Shimmerkit, a pretty she-cat, squeaked, interrupting Songpaw's complaining. "I'm telling Mommy!" Dapplekit shrugged, not even worried. He skipped over to Leafkit, asked him something, then began to tease some moss into a ball.

Meanwhile, Shimmerkit went up to Sootleap, who was sharing tongues with Minnowstrike. They were lying right in the sun, and Sootleap's contented expression turned to annoyance as her little daughter padded up to her.

"Mommy, Dapplekit nipped me! Right here. See?" Shimmerkit showed Sootleap a little red spot on her fluffy tail, obviously expecting some comfort. She was afforded none. "Honestly, Mistlekit, if you can't handle Dapplekit's playing, then you shouldn't play at all. He's just being a brother, and I know that little 'wound' doesn't hurt. Stop playing victim."

 _ **I told you. Awful she-cat, that one.**_

 _ **She doesn't deserve kits.**_

 _ **Minnowstrike is a fool for choosing her over Copperfin.**_

 _You guys are right,_ Songpaw agreed, watching Mistlekit's eyes fill with tears and the kit rush into the nursery, _That queen is not even a queen at all._

"Featherpaw! Shellpaw! Get over here!" Copperfin's irritated mew jerked Songpaw's eyes away from Sootleap. The warrior was summoning her too, but Copperfin was still rankled from Songpaw's escape from the Gathering several sunrises before.

 _ **And for good reason too!**_

A tail flick was very imaginable.

Songpaw hurried over, almost too late to hear Copperfin's instructions. The bluish gray warrior was sitting with Vineclaw and Wrenmist, her fur gleaming in the morning sunshine.

"- in teams of three each. I'm going to have at least one warrior on each team so it is fair. They will _not_ help you," she glared at Vineclaw, who innocently shrugged, "but will act as if you are warriors. Which very will may be quite soon," her amber gaze rested on Featherpaw, "and as a Clanmate. The point of the game is to keep the other team away from the stream by the island. You will sheathe your claws, but otherwise fight as if you are actually battling enemy cats. This is the assessment. Now, Wrenmist and Vineclaw will be on a team with Shellpaw, and I'm with Featherpaw and… Songpaw." She flicked her tail and the cats settled into their respective groups. "We are the enemy warriors, and you are the defenders. GO!"

Copperfin turned to Featherpaw. "What's the plan?" The white and silver she-cat already was thinking, scrunching up her face.

 _ **Yeah, Copperfin, don't even look to the creative cat just look at the perfect one because she looks cool!**_

 _ **Featherpaw has good ideas! She is the right cat to ask.**_

 _ **Nuh uh!**_

 _Shut up!_

 _ **Shut your trap!**_

 _I'm not even talking! I'm just thinking in mind to voices!_

There was no response, and Songpaw worried she had offended the touchy cats inside her head. It felt strangely empty. Too quiet, too echoey.

"I got it!" Featherpaw mewed, her tail lashing in excitement. "They're going to set up a perimeter that if we cross, they'll attack us. RiverClan always does that. We should disguise ourselves with mud and slip through the reeds in the marsh where they think we won't be because _Songpaw doesn't like getting her paws wet._ "

 _Hey!_ Songpaw thought, _I just don't like_ mud.

 _ **That seems reasonable.**_

 _ **Shh I want to hear her plan!**_

Then, we can attack. Copperfin, you're the best warrior, so you could take Wrenmist and Shellpaw, and I could take Vineclaw, and I don't know, maybe… Songpaw could help you, Copperfin?"

"I'd end up helping _her_ , but it _is_ a good idea."

Songpaw had to admit it was a good idea, but she had a better one. The gray she-cat narrowed her eyes and clawed the marshy ground. _We could run along the lakeshore,_ she mused, _slip into the water, and find a lilypad. Nip off the stem, put it on our heads, and voila! A disguise. Swim in through the creek, and jump out on land. We could attack them while their tails are turned and triumph. Perfect!_

 _ **That is actually a good idea!**_

 _ **Nah, Featherpaw's is better.**_

 _ **I think this exercise is fish-brained no matter what. We never did this when we still had Su-**_

 _ **Shut up!**_ One of the voices shrieked, sending a buzz through Songpaw's ears. She bristled in discomfort. Maybe Copperfin would listen to her idea, and she would actually be able to talk to everyone for once. And they would _listen._ The prospect made her spine tingle.

"Uh, Copperfin?" Songpaw started, but Featherpaw laid her tail across her shoulders and guided her to a muddy patch of ground.

"Roll."

As Songpaw twisted around in the mud, she thought of what one of the voices was going to say before it was interrupted. Su? It was a possession, because they _had_ it. ' _We never did this when we still had Su-'_ What was the mystery object. She caught Featherpaw's eye and her sister gestured with her mud enveloped tail for her to get up.

A few heartbeats later, when each of the she-cats were thoroughly coated in mud, Featherpaw led the way to the forest of reeds right along the marsh by the island. In the sunlight, they must have stuck out, but a flick of the apprentice's tail and they all flattened to the ground. With the recent rain, a rock with mud on it would be a fitting description. Songpaw suddenly did not want to go through with this plan. Vineclaw looked too menacing, too serious. Shellpaw actually looked fierce, and his mentor, Wrenmist, was as intimidating as ever.

 _ **Coward! I was right!**_

 _ **She's still an apprentice!**_

 _ **Featherpaw would have been better. Now it's too late.**_

 _ **You fools!**_

Songpaw's parents, Trouttail and Swallowstem, in the rare moments that they paid attention to her, told her that they named her because when she was born, many birds were singing, and Songpaw kept mewling, and would always meow before she opened her eyes. The name had even deeper meaning when she asked them to answer the cats talking. They couldn't though, because those voices couldn't be heard. Finally, when she became two moons old, Swallowstem had all but unofficially named her Chatterkit. That was when she stopped being the star, because Featherkit was. And you can't have two stars in the spotlight, then they aren't stars. They're the same. And being the same does not make you a star. Featherkit was a dream kit, always asleep by sun-down, respectful, bringing mice to get stories from the elders. By the time she was an apprentice, the only song that Songpaw had was the chatter inside her own head.

"Come on, slow-slug!" Copperfin clipped the amber eyed apprentice's nose with her tail. "Get moving."

Songpaw started and accidently brushed the reeds. They rustled, not even loud, but to Songpaw, they sounded like the loudest sound ever. Featherpaw and Copperfin turned to glare at Songpaw, and she shrunk back, fearful of what was coming next.

 _ **You idiot now you will fail this assessment!**_

 _ **Cut her some slack, she-**_

 _ **RUSTLED THE REEDS WHEN SHE HAD A LOT OF ROOM!**_

"Attaaaaaaaack!" They all looked up to see Vineclaw and Shellpaw leaping onto them. Songpaw slipped out from under Shellpaw and swung, claws sheathed, at his face. The tom hissed and recoiled, swiping at her side. Songpaw realized that she was outmatched. Shellpaw was too good. Nevertheless, Songpaw hissed and jumped onto his back, trying to flatten him. The white and gray tom was a sturdy legged apprentice, and he threw her off by rearing up onto his hind legs. Songpaw slammed against a rock, the breath driven out of her lungs. Shellpaw lunged at her and she batted blindly at his nose. Undeterred, her opponent clouted her head and swiped at her belly until Songpaw crouched down, bruised and defeated.

 _ **You are a failure.**_

 _ **Sagestar is going to hold you back a moon.**_

 _ **Sagestar is a fool!**_

 _ **She needs more courage.**_

 _ **You said that last time, and I will not stand for it!**_

 _ **Well, Songpaw, you failed.**_

A triumphant yowl came from the stream, and Songpaw raised her head to see Featherpaw standing on top of Wrenmist, her icy blue eyes proud. The white and silver she-cat shook off her remaining mud and helped the warrior up.

"That was amazing!" Copperfin praised her apprentice warmly, the others joining in. Songpaw hauled herself up off the marshy ground and slouched over to the group.

"-telling Sagestar about this, I think you two are ready to become warriors!" Copperfin mewed proudly, flicking her tail.

 _ **You're falling behind.**_

 _ **Really, really behind.**_

Vineclaw caught Songpaw's gaze and she could see the utter disappointment in his eyes. She hung her head and followed him as he started back to camp. "I guess I failed, huh?" She asked as they stopped beside a puddle.

"I want to sugarcoat this. But I can't, because you won't work as hard. So; yes. Yes, you failed this assessment. Sagestar isn't going to make you a warrior anytime soon."

 _ **So perceptive, Vineclaw.**_

Songpaw felt her eyes burn and she made to brush them away when Vineclaw spoke again.

"Featherpaw is too young to become a warrior. Sagestar will see that."

 _ **Don't count on it, Creamy!**_

Songpaw was grooming when the call rang out.

"All cats old enough to swim gather beneath the Highstone to hear what I have to say!"

Cats emerged from their dens, gray and silver, black and brown. Songpaw padded up to Featherpaw's side and sat down. The white and silver she-cat laid her tail across Songpaw's shoulders, a rare gesture of affection.

"Warrior and apprentice ceremony," she mewed quietly as Swallowstem lined her kits up in front of the Clan. They fidgeted and squirmed.

 _ **Silly kits.**_

 _ **They should clean up their act.**_

 _ **Swallowstem is doing the best she can!**_

 _ **Swallowstem is a lazy turtle.**_

Songpaw tried not to laugh.

Sagestar sat down and meowed, her voice ringing out, "Leafkit _ **,**_ you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Leafpaw. Your mentor will be Rushfoot. I hope he will pass down all he knows on to you." Rushfoot padded forward, his dark ginger pelt gleaming in the late sunlight.

"Rushfoot **,** you are ready to take on an apprentice. You had received excellent training from Brackenstar himself, and you have shown yourself to be dedicated and courageous. You will be the mentor of Leafpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to him."

 _ **Bad bad bad bad bad choice Sagestar. Idiot! Rushfoot is too temperamental for an apprentice.**_

 _ **Rushfoot should have been deputy!**_

 _ **Shut up!**_

 _ **You're the one always talking!**_

 _ **So are you!**_

And so the ceremony dragged on like this for the three other kits until Turtlepaw had Sharpeyes, Mistlepaw had Reedclaw, and Stonekit had Quailflight. Then the leader of RiverClan called out Shellpaw's name.

"I, Sagestar, leader of RiverClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn.

"Shellpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?

Shellpaw swallowed and meowed, his voice strong, "I do."

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Shellpaw, from this moment you will be known as Shellberry. StarClan honors your truth and intelligence, and we welcome you as a full warrior of RiverClan." Shellberry licked Sagestar's shoulder. The camp erupted into cheers for the newly named and ranked cats.

Songpaw sighed. It was great that her former denmate had become a warrior, but she had four more new ones, and they were _annoying_. The two moons in the nursery that she spent with them were some of the worst in her life.

 _ **No kidding!**_

 _ **Have fun with 'em for another six moons!**_

 _ **They'll be warriors before you anyway!**_

She was about to remark to Featherpaw how annoying the apprentices were when she noticed her sister was gone. Her scent trail led out of the cheering camp and to the big Thunderpath. A little scuffle told her that Featherpaw had hunted some land prey.

 _And succeeded,_ she thought bitterly, _because she's so great.._

Songpaw finally caught sight of her sister by the Thunderpath, stalking a water vole. The pretty apprentice's fur gleamed in the dying sunlight as she placed one paw over another. The vole was almost in her claws.

A low rumbling started to hum, sending vibrations to Songpaw's skull and down her back. The gray furred apprentice saw two bright lights, blinding in the twilight. Featherpaw was in the way.

"Featherpaw!" She cried, bounding forward. The monster was getting closer, closer to killing her sister, her dear sister.

 _ **STOP!**_

 _ **Songpaw! This is her fate!**_

 _ **Don't do this!**_

 _ **I said stop!**_

 _ **Stop running!**_

Songpaw ignored them. She ran as fast as she could, her tail streaming out behind her. Featherpaw had forgotten the vole, now, and was standing, frozen right in the path of the monster's big black paws.

 _ **Songpaw, stop.**_

This voice was different, more clear, as if a cat was standing right next to her. It was soft and kind, but Songpaw didn't care. She shouldered Featherpaw out of the way. The silver swirls on her pelt glowed weakly as the apprentice's eyes filled with tears.

A red mist filled Songpaw's eyes and she heard a distant shrieking. Pain hit her like a storm and everything stopped.

 **Did you like this chapter? Sorry it was really long, but I couldn't figure out how to end it. And then, once it does end, it's a bad ending. Please review!**

 **QOTC(Question of the Chapter): What do you think one of the voices was talking about when it was interrupted?**

 **Also: Ideas for Songpaw and Featherpaw's warrior names? Names for the new apprentices? Names at all?**


	4. Updated Allegiances

**Ahoy there! I updated the allegiances because I wanted to post something and then you'd have all the new additions to the apprentices.**

 **RIVERCLAN**

 _ **Leader:**_ Sagestar- _light gray tabby she-cat with green eyes_

 _ **Deputy:**_ Minnowstrike- _black tom with a white ear and amber eyes_

 _ **Medicine Cat:**_ Lavenderspots- _cream and dark gray spotted she-cat with golden eyes_ **Apprentice:** Nutdapple

 _ **Warriors:**_

Rushfoot- _dark ginger tom with white paws and green eyes_ **Apprentice:** Leafpaw

Quailflight- _brown and white tabby she-cat with ice blue eyes_ **Apprentice:** Stonepaw

Copperfin- _bluish gray she-cat with a white patch on her chest and amber eyes_ **Apprentice:** Featherpaw

Swallowstem- _dark gray she-cat with black stripes and blue eyes_

Reedclaw- _white gray tom black flecks, white paws, and blue eyes_ **Apprentice:** Mistlepaw

Trouttail- _ginger tom with white paws and light green eyes_

Wrenmist- _tortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes_

Sharpeyes- _shrewd golden tabby tom with piercing ice blue eyes_ **Apprentice:** Turtlepaw

Shadyear- _white tom with a black ear and blue eyes_

Twigslash- _black and white dappled she-cat with green eyes_

Vineclaw- _creamy furred tom with black eyes_ **Apprentice:** Songpaw

Sparrowbrook- _brown and silver spotted she-cat with gray eyes_

Oaksplash- _dark brown tom with white paws and green eyes_

Sneezeclaw- _light gray and white patched tom with amber eyes_

Waterthistle- _smoky gray tabby tom with green eyes_

Shellberry- _white tom with gray tabby splotches and amber eyes_

 _ **Apprentices:**_

Nutdapple- _cream tom with brown spots and green eyes_

Featherpaw- _white she-cat with silver swirls and icy blue eyes_

Songpaw- _dark gray she-cat with a black spot and amber eyes_

Stonepaw- _light gray tom with amber eyes_

Mistlepaw- _light brown she-cat with amber eyes_

Turtlepaw- _dark gray she-cat with light green eyes_

Leafpaw- _ginger tabby tom with white paws and blue eyes_

 _ **Queens:**_

Sootleap- _black she-cat with gray legs and amber eyes,_ mother to Minnowstrike's kits, Shimmerkit- silver and white she-cat _with blue eyes,_ Starlingkit- _brown tom with white belly, chest, paws, and muzzle with gray eyes,_ and Dapplekit- _black tom with white streaks, gray spots, and blue eyes_

Bubblespeck- _white she-cat with green eyes,_ expecting an unknown tom's kits

 _ **Elders:**_

Poppymoon- _golden she-cat with white stripes and blue eyes_

Storkslash- _ginger tom with redder spots and gray eyes_


	5. Chapter 4

**Hey everyone! I am SO SORRY. I couldn't get to the computer, so I couldn't update. I knew that I needed to update, and so I will. Thank you so much for the reviews, by the way. I loved them so much! Here you go!**

 **Chapter 3**

 _Songpaw stepped down from a stump, her feet making no sound on the carpet of moss. She didn't know where she was, maybe StarClan? Oh no. Was she_ dead _? But where were the other StarClanners? Did she have to find them herself? Songpaw felt her mind rapidly deteriorating into panic._

 _The gurgle of a stream stopped her from sitting down, it was so familiar that she padded over to it. The stream was clear and cold, a wide blue ribbon winding through the trees. Round pebbles lay at the bottom of the river, their size ranging from as big as the head of a mouse to her father's paw. Songpaw dipped her head and took and lapped up the water. It tasted like starlight, if one could taste starlight._

" _Hello, Songpaw." The dark furred apprentice whipped around, silver droplets flashing through the air._

 _A cat stood alone on a rock. It was gray furred, like her, but silver, white, and black streaks decorated the silky pelt. Its claws were unsheathed, like small, white daggers, they gleamed in the moonlight. The eyes were the most frightening, one bright, electric blue, and the other amber, the color of honey. This majestic cat smiled at the quivering apprentice._

" _Relax, Songpaw. You know me." Songpaw didn't know the cat, who was a she-cat, but she didn't say so._

" _Well, not yet, anyway." The cat looked thoughtful, her mismatched eyes reflecting the light of the stars._

" _Um... Who are you?" Songpaw asked sheepishly._

 _The cat laughed. It was a melodic laugh, one that filled the apprentice up with happiness and joy. "I can't tell you that just yet," she mewed, her silky trail curling in a majestic circle._

 _Songpaw trailed her paw through the soft moss. "Well, can you tell me if I'm dead or not?" It was a silly question, but she needed to know._

" _No, no, sweet Songpaw, you are not dead, not yet." The cat moved closer, starlight reflecting off her multicolored eyes. "You came very close, though." She turned away from Songpaw and flicked her tail for the apprentice to follow. They walked through the beautiful forest, over streams, under mossy logs, until they came to a silver pool, the water calm and undisturbed._

" _Look into the water," the cat instructed, doing so herself. The apprentice bent her head and looked down into the water._

 _A dark gray lump of fur was surrounded by moss in a cozy den. Songpaw narrowed her eyes and realized that it was her. The figure was gaunt and the fur was matted, a long herb covered stripe on its side. Moss was packed so closely to her that she couldn't see any other injuries._

 _That was when the thought came to her with perfect clarity._ She didn't have any voices in her head.

" _Our time is running short," the cat mewed, standing up straight now. She laid her tail on Songpaw's shoulders and began to walk back into the trees._

" _Wait!" Songpaw cried, her voice desperate. "How do I get back here?" The cat looked back over her shoulder and shrugged slightly. "Just dream of it."_

Songpaw woke to a lot of talking. The very air was coated in it. She shifted in her nest and felt a sharp bolt of pain in her right side. "Ow," she squeaked. Her foreleg started to throb and her left cheek felt like it was caked in mud. A constant pain in her head pounded on her skull, demanding to be noticed. Inside, she had an enormous stomachache.

Nutdapple came around the corner, his cream and brown fur fluffed up. "You're awake!" He meowed happily. His excitement was clearly visible as he gave her a pile of herbs. Songpaw chewed them slowly, the bitter taste hard in her dry mouth. It was hard to swallow, and she was scared the herbs would get stuck."Can I get some water?" She asked, pitch dropping and rising from lack of use. Nutdapple nodded and grabbed some moss from a neat pile by the entrance. He seemed to be bracing himself before he plunged out into the camp.

Songpaw waited, bored already, for the medicine cat apprentice to return. Where was Lavenderspots? Why was nobody with her? The voices grew louder and louder. Unfortunately, the inside of her head remained agonizingly silent. Just as she was sure she would die of thirst, Nutdapple padded through the entrance, silver droplets dripping from the wad of moss in his mouth.

After Songpaw had rinsed her parched tongue and mouth, she asked, "Why is it so noisy?" Nutdapple looked uncomfortable. "We got some unexpected visitors right after your… accident." It was clear that he didn't want to talk anymore about either, and normally Songpaw wouldn't press him, but this was common knowledge, and she was dying to know.

"Who? And what about my accident?" She shifted in her nest, but hissed in pain.

The cream and brown tom looked like he wanted to disappear or become a dandelion. "Your accident. You got hit by a monster."

"Duh!" Songpaw was getting frustrated. "What about my injuries?"

"Well. Your head got hit pretty badly on the Thunderpath rock, so you may have trouble with your balance when you start to walk again. The monster's paws rubbed against your side, so you have a raw patch on your flank. Worst of all, though... " He trailed off and did not elaborate. Songpaw wanted to hit him. "Worst of all? She prompted.

"Your insides got messed up pretty badly, and your front leg broke. Also, you have a long slice on your cheek. I'm not sure how that happened, but I treated it anyway." He looked apologetic, like it was his fault that the apprentice had gotten hurt.

Songpaw wanted to say "PAH! Warriors deal with worse things all the time!" and strut - limp out into the camp and take all the sympathy. But she was ashamed that she had been injured and needed to be taken care of. _I want to hunt my own food and others' too. Now I'm just stuck in here, AND I'll be behind in training. When I do get back out into the field, I'll suck, even more than I did before the accident._ But she wouldn't say that out loud, even though she really wanted to complain and wallow in self pity. "Well, I'm guessing that I'll be out of training for a while, then!" she mewed, trying to sound okay with it.

Nutdapple, the idiot, nodded. "Do you want to come outside?" The she-cat desperately wanted to, but she was starting to feel sleepy from the herbs. The pain was receding, and maybe she could get some sleep…

 _When she woke next, she was in a dark forest, shadows miles high and covering almost everything, however, it was not entirely gloomy. It had the air of a dark place with happy cats living there. Songpaw walked slowly in the direction of voices, her pawsteps tentative. A large boulder loomed out of the darkness, and she hid behind it as the voices grew louder._

" _Now we're stuck here! You didn't try hard enough!"_

" _It is SO definitely YOUR FAULT!"_

" _Shut up you two!"_

" _You shut up, dung-head, you're interrupting our argument!" The voices sounded familiar, almost like… Songpaw's voices!_

 _The she-cat peeked around the boulder, her head beating a furious tattoo against her chest. Five cats were standing in a dip in the earth, a perfect circle around them. A shimmering thing jutted out of the earth in the exact center of the slope. Desperate to know more, Songpaw squinted through the gloom. She could just make out the pelt and shape of the cat standing closest to her._

 _It was small she-cat. Her fur was the lightest silver, made even lighter by the gleaming stone. Jagged stripes of smoky gray criss-crossed her pelt, and a couple of spots the same color dotted her fur. Her tail was lashing and long, black claws were unsheathed in anger. A perfect head, shapely ears and long white whiskers were framed by the glowing light._

 _Songpaw was so mesmerized by the beauty of the she-cat that she did not hear the words: "Someone is here who shouldn't be." However, she did see brilliant amber eyes that blinked twice at her. She gasped and tried to run away. Something caught her tail and she tripped, slamming her head into a rock._

 _ **LINEBREAK**_

 _The dark gray apprentice was right in the middle of a battle, which, from the looks of it, a fight to the death. She tried to move out of the danger zone, but her paws were planted on the peaty earth. Two cats whirled past her, dark ginger and gray and black. Claws flashed and screeches echoed off the imposing trunks of the trees. Songpaw watched the fight, frozen, until eventually the dark gray cat won. It was a tom, and he stood over the body of the dark ginger cat, blood dripping from his mouth and many wounds. Despite his obvious victory, the cat did not seem very triumphant. In fact, Songpaw swore she saw a glimmer of tears in the bright blue eyes._

" _I am so sorry, so so sorry."_

When Songpaw decided to go outside was six sunrises from her first awakening. She simply got up, and, tired of the voices and a poker faced Nutdapple, elected to go outside. She could smell greenleaf on the warm breeze, and was thankful it came so early.

As she pushed out of the medicine den, Songpaw wasn't greeted or crowded around. No one noticed her. Probably because the Gathering was tonight, and those who were not chosen to go were sulking in their dens or someplace equally suited to ripping the nests of the invited. The moon was almost at its highest peak, and Songpaw sighed happily at its beauty. But it also was distant and cold, which really wasn't helpful.

For a long time, the apprentice sat, a small ache in her head and stomach, her leg hurting, and her side throbbing. But she wouldn't go inside. Not yet.

 _ **Good, because the view is nice.**_

 _ **No Nutdapple,**_ added one. The others murmured enthusiastically in agreement.

 _You're back!_ Songpaw mentally screeched. She felt a great lifting of her heavy heart, and felt truly happy for the first time since… since they left.

 _ **Yes, we're back. Yada, yada, yada.**_

 _ **Don't talk so loud!**_

 _ **It's nice to talk to you, little one.**_

 _ **Pah.**_

 _ **Don't be a such a grump!**_

 _ **Honestly, I couldn't care less.**_

Songpaw hid a smirk as she knew that wasn't true. Or, she tried to.

 _ **Don't smirk at your elders, apprentice!**_

 _ **Yeah! Learn some respect.**_

 _Look who's talking._

 _ **Well, I never!**_

Songpaw decided to shut them out so she could concentrate on getting to the fresh kill pile. Nutdapple never brought her favorite prey. It was _always_ water voles or loons. She had no idea what he did with the feathers, but they disappeared right after each meal. The dark gray apprentice's leg began to ache and she felt like she had been spun a million times and sent to walk on a very narrow tree branch. Despite the oncoming greenleaf, the pile was distended and depressing. Only a soggy water vole(bleh) and a small trout made it up, and Songpaw snatched the fish up, suddenly greedy for the tangy taste of fish. She paddded back to the medicine den, weary and eager to sink into her soft nest of moss and feathers.

Unfortunately, moments before she entered the privacy of the den, the cats chosen to go to the Gathering thundered into camp. Literally. As soon as Sagestar emerged from the vegetation, lightning flashed and thunder growled menacingly. Songpaw's fur instinctively went up on end and her claws slid out.

 _ **Scaredy cat, scaredy cat.**_

 _ **Says you!**_

 _ **Yeah, you used to jump at everything, especially thunderstorms!**_

 _ **Shut up! What are you scared of, huh? I know! Losing your mate and failing your Clan. Those are SO cliche!**_

 _ **Well,**_ **you** _**don't even have a mate!**_

 _ **Do so! His name is -**_

 _ **Stop bickering, you two!**_

"Hey! Songpaw!" Mistlepaw bounded over, her light brown pelt dappled with drops of water, and roughly touched her nose to Songpaw's shoulder. "Good to see you! Guess what happen-" Nutdapple shouldered Mistlepaw aside. "What are you doing?!" He hissed, tail lashing. The sky was beginning to darken more steadily, and a large drop of rain splashed on Songpaw's nose.

 _ **Heehee remember the time you fell in the lake?**_

 _ **How could I forget? You tease me every day about it!**_

"Taking a walk!" Songpaw replied smugly. She loved seeing Nutdapple upset, and she was about to get exactly that. He was furious. "BUT WHY are you outside?!" He growled. Mistlepaw slunk off, tail parallel with the ground.

The injured apprentice wanted to stomp her foot, but that would just hurt it more. "Because I wanted to see the sun again, and I am SICK of voles and loons, you take the feathers, the herbs taste so awful, I was HUNGRY, I never meant for this-" she gestured all around with her tail "-to happen and I wish you'd leave me ALONE. I don't want to be taken care of, I just want to be a warrior, but now that's not going to happen because my SISTER was stupid enough to hunt on the Thunderparth! Seriously? My own mother and father don't visit me, and the first time I come out of the den no one greets me. Besides, Vineclaw is too wrapped up in Copperfin to come by either." She spat her mentor and Copperfin's names as if they were crowfood.

Looking around, she realized that she had hurt six cats in her rant. Nutdapple, who looked like he had been beaten with a stick repeatedly, Featherpaw, standing next to Shellberry and Frogpaw, her parents, and Copperfin, who was standing with Vineclaw. Too late to change her words, she made to stomp back into the den, but a light tap on her shoulder stopped her from retreating.

"WHAT?" She roared. How could someone be stupid enough to bother her? Songpaw swung her head around and saw the dark tabby from her dream. Only he was smiling.

 **New info about one of the voices! Who are they?**


End file.
